Plate mounting



L. V. GASTO PLATE MOUNTING Dec. 23, 1930.

Filed Sept. lO, 1927 F'lcfs- 2 Patented Dec. 23, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE LLOYD V. GASTO, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO OXFORD 'VARNISIEI CORPOR- TION, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN PLATE MOUNTING Application led September 10, 1927. Serial No. 218,743.

This invention is concerned With an improvement in mountings for relatively thin intaglio or engraved plates of large dimensions, and has for its general object the provision of a rigid, Aportable mounting for engraved plates such as photogravure plates of exceptionally large size.

In the art of reproducing yvood grain finishes on metallic and other smooth, hard surfaces, a. Wooden panel is first selected having a grain corresponding to the grain it `is desired to simulate. -By a photographic process a photogravure plate is made by the use of a negative and carbonrresist, which plate usually Will be of the same dimension as the original panel. The dimension of the plate therefore, is determine-d by the dimen sion of the surface it is desired to Wood grain. It will be apparent that these plates assume comparatively large dimensions and since the body of the plate comprises a copper or other metallic sheet comparatively thin in cross section, it must be supported uniformly whereby pigment may be scraped from its engraved surface by lthe having a straight edge.

More specifically, therefore, my invention is directed to the provision of a mounting construction which will properly support and hold an engraved plate of the type referred to, the mounting being such that it also constitutes a protection for the plate during shipping, storage, etc.

s A further object of the present invention ,is to provide a mounting construction for the purpose referred to that will have no openings or crevices present in its uppersurfaces, thus making available amounting which can be maintained in a clean condition with very little attention on the part of the user.

Other objects of my invention 'Will b e hereinafter set forth in the following description,

referring to the accom anying dravvmgs, illustrating a preferred orm thereof. The essential characteristics are summarized in the claims.

In 'the drawings, Fig. 1 is a plate mounting embodying the features of my invention, and

Fig. 2 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the same. i

use of a doctor blade- I prefer to form the body of the plate mounting of a Well seasoned Wood which will not Warp under ordinary Weather conditions,

ing is to accommodate. Attached to the plate supporting boards 8 and cross members 9, are flange boards 10 Which extend a substantial distance above the top surface of lthe plate supporting board 8, whereby rails are presented extending along the longitudinal edges of the mounting and plate.

In the present application, I disclose a l mounting construction adapted to support an engraved plate having considerably less Width than the mounting in which case I'use metallic strips 14 to complete the top surfacing of the mounting. It is to be understood however, that the clamping means described hereinafter, is adapted to directly clamp the plate on the mounting, in which event the strips 14 vare not used, that is When a plate of sufficient Width to extendlfrom side to side of the mounting is used, then the plate is clamped directly to the mounting, as it Will be obvious from the disclosure in Fig. 2. The engraved plate 12 may be laid upon the boards 8 if desired when its Width is considerably less than the Width ofthe mounting. Along each side of the engraved plate 12 may be placed the metallic i strips 14 preferably formed of copper of tb@J same thickness as the thickness of the engraved plate 12, with the longitudinal marginal edges thereof closely the case may be, are secured alonef their outer longitudinal edges to the body of the mounting in such manner that access of inks or pigments thereto is prevented. I accomplish this by attaching spacer strips 16 along the inner faces of the flange boards 10 and I place over the upper edges of the flange boards 10 and over the strips 16, a metallic sheathing 18 which is formed to provide an inwardly turned flange 19 at its inner edge whereby a clamping means may engage this inner edge, the clamping means being, as shown, pieces of angle irons 20 extending throughout the length of the mounting. 'The strips 14, the angle irons 20 and the flanges 19 of the sheathing 18 may be coincidently perforated or slotted whereby clamping bolts 22 may eX- tend therethrough and through the plate supporting boards 18, whereby the lower ends of the bolts, which carry nuts 23, may become accessible by upending mounting construction, when the strips 14 are not used, that is, when the plate 12 is of sufficient width to extend from mounting flange to mounting fiange, the foregoing described clamping action is effected directly upon the side mar- -gins of the plate. The outer lower ends of the sheathing 18 may be secured to the outer faces of the boards 10 in any suitable manner, for example, with screws 24, as shown in Fig. 2.

If desired, the fiange boards 10, spacer strips 16 and sheathing 18 may be shaped whereby the entire flange construction will have a downwardly and inwardly curving surface to cause fluid pigment and inks to run inwardly and downwardly to the strips 14 or plate 12 as the case may be. When the mounting and plate are placed in use, the operator spreads an ink or pigment over the surface of the plate and some of this ink may Spread over the surfaces of the strips 14, but when a doctor blade having a width corresponding to the distance fromface to face of the inner faces of the sheathing 18, is drawn over the face of the plate,'it will also scrape the strips 14. It is the practice to not draw the blade over the entire surface of the plate, thus leaving the ink accumulated adjacent one end of the mounting, but if desired, pigment troughs may be attached or built into the mounting construction at the ends of the plate. In any event, the plate is ready for a transfer take-off by an elastic roller transfer, each time the pigment is applied and the doetor blade by-passed over the plate and mounting surface. It will be apparent that the mounting described, carries the plate in such position that the entire width thereof can be utilized by the operator, for the strips 14 are scraped clean in the operation of scraping the plate with the doctor blade, or if a wide plateis mounted, the engraving thereon need not extend over the entire width of the plate, thus leaving unengraved surfaces on the plate adjacent to the mounting-flanges which would correspond to the surfaces ofthe strips 14. If it is desired to use a plate of different width, different strips 14 are substituted and by reason of the nature of the clamp 20, the strips 14 'may be adjusted to accurately and closely abut the longitudinal edges of the plate.

It will be obvious that with the construction shown in the drawings no interstices are presented anywhere for the accumulation of dried inks or pigments by reason of the fact that the entire upper surfaces of the mounting are covered with unbroken metallic 4shea-thing and that the strips and entire apparatus can be maintained in a clean condition by the operator with a minimum of labor.

I claim:

1. In combination a mounting for a relatively thin intaglio plate, comprising a fiat supporting medium, said supporting medium being wider than the width of the plate to be supported, pigment retaining rails extending longitudinally of and attached to the plate supporting medium and ller strips disposed to fit between the longitudinal edges of the plate and said rails, the filler strips being of the same thickness as the thickness. of thc plate to be supported whereby a uniform surface is presented for the application of ink to the entire width of the plate.

2. In combination a mounting for an intaglio plate, comprising a fiat supporting medium, said supporting medium being wider than the width of the plate to be supported, pigment retaining rails extending longitudinally of and attached to the plate supporting medium and adjustable filler strips disposed to fit between the longitudinal edges of the plate and said rails.

3. In combination a mounting for an intaglio plate, comprising a flat wooden frame construction, pigment retaining rails extending longitudinally of' and attached to the plate supporting medium and adjustable filler strips disposed to fit between the longitudinal edges of the plate to be supported and said rails, the filler strips being of the same thickness as the thickness of the plate whereby a uniform surface is presented for the application of ink to the entire width of the plate.

4.34. mounting for an elongated thin engraved metallic plate comprising a plate supporting medium adapted to support the plate throughout the length of the plate, the supporting medium being greater in width than the width of the plate, said supporting medivum having longitudinal rails attached therelOO to along the marginal edges thereof and having a metallic covering including replaceable metallic strips of the same thickness as the plate disposed to accurately abut the longitudinal edges of the plate whereby plates of varying widths may be supported by the mounting for utility purposes by mere change of metallic strips of varying Widths.

5. In combination a mounting for thin metallic plates, comprising a lat supporting medium, pigment retaining railsextending longitudinally of and attached to the plate supporting medium having a metallic coverf ing comprising apart of a clamping means for securing a plate to the supporting means.

6. In a mounting for an engraved metallic plate, the combination of a plate supporting medium adapted to have an engraved plate mounted thereon, said supporting medium being Wider than the Width of the plate to be supported and means for holding a plate on the mounting, said means including an angle iron extending longitudinally of the mounting, clamping means adapted to engage the angle iron and the underside of the mounting, and filler strips adapted to extend from the longitudinal edges of the engraved plate to the clamping means. l

In testimony whereof I hereunto aix my si gnature.

" v LLOYD V. GASTO. 

